MUST READ IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHATS UP WID DA STORY: this is my 1st ever hungry heart fic, and so, please be kind! also, this is based on a true story which happened in my life...the story is dedicated to someone i hold very dear and hope, if he ever reads this, he will realize that i still...back to the story, please! the first chapter's pretty cute and takes place when they are in the 4th grade. Kyouske's a year elder to Miki and so, he's in the fifth. happy reading!

'I hate this,' thought a young boy, frowning at a passing car. He looked at the football in his hand and then at the piece of paper in his other.

'Darling, me and your dad are going away to get something for the new house. Have fun and be home in time for dinner!

Mum.

The boy crumpled the paper and threw it down. He sat down and blinked furiously, trying in vain to fight away the tears. 'I'm not going to cry!' he said fiercely to himself.

The boy had moved out of his old house and like everyone else, was feeling dreary about the prospect of leaving his friends behind. A strong and stubborn person, he was never accustomed to behaving 'girly' and so, always tried to put up a manly show. Short dark hair framed his young robust face and his startling blue eyes were screwed up in a vain attempt to push away the flow of tears.

"Well, if you wanna, you can. There's no harm in it," said a nonchalant voice from somewhere up. The boy looked up to see a lad dressed in shorts and a long T-shirt, sitting on a branch of a huge tree. The boy had startling amber eyes and he wore a cap on his head. Brown bangs fell over his eyes and he was a head shorter than the dark-haired boy.

He jumped down and asked, "Is everything OK?"

"Go away," said the dark-haired boy rudely. The other kid sized him up with his sharp eyes and said, "Are you new around here, mate? No one talks like that to me and gets away with it!"

The dark-haired kid stood up and said, "Are you asking for it?" the other kid looked at him bravely and said, "Yeah. I think I am."

They glared at each other for a few minutes and then, the dark-haired kid turned away and said, "I am new here. We moved in yesterday."

The brown-haired kid looked surprised and said, "OK. Hey, do you play soccer as well? How about a game?"

"There's just the two of us," said the dark-haired kid, apprehensively.

"Come on, it'll be good," said the other kid eagerly. The dark-haired boy suddenly smiled and balancing the ball on his knees, kicked the ball towards the kid.

As the brown-haired kid made yet another spectacular save, the dark-haired kid panted and said, "You're good! Do you play for your school?"

The brown-haired kid nodded and said, "I'm actually captain of the-"

"Miki! There you are! We've been looking all over for you!" came a high-pitched voice. The dark-haired boy turned around and saw two girls emerging form the bushes.

One of them had long curly blonde hair and the other had piercing grey eyes. The dark-haired boy looked at them questioningly; wondering as to whom they were referring to.

He turned behind and gaped in astonishment. The brown-haired boy was gone. In his place, instead, stood a girl with long brown hair and a reluctant smile.